The final bell rang, its sound spreading through the classroom. Chairs scraped lightly against the floor as students began packing their bags, chatting about dinner plans and homework as they slowly filed out.
Urano remained seated at his desk by the window, his gaze fixed outside. The sky had begun to dim, clouds drifting lazily as the day came to an end. He waited without moving, letting the classroom empty itself.
The words from the note surfaced again in his mind.
"It's fine, we'll cancel the festival… Sorry for bothering you, Urano."
He closed his eyes.
'She's lying,' he thought quietly. 'There's no way they'd cancel it that easily. She just wants me to show up…'
When the room was nearly empty, Urano finally stood up. He packed his things without hurry and stepped out into the hallway.
The corridor was quiet. His footsteps echoed softly against the floor, the sound following him as he walked. With nothing else to distract him, his thoughts drifted back to Renka, and to all the notes she had left over the past week.
"So noisy," he muttered under his breath. "Even though she can't talk."
As he walked, the sound of his footsteps slowly faded from his awareness, replaced by a familiar memory that rose to the surface of his mind.
Last year's sports festival.
At the time, the student council had run into serious budget problems. Several games were quietly removed from the schedule, and among them was basketball.
The news spread quickly.
Urano remembered sitting at his desk when a few classmates approached him, smiling more than usual.
"Hey, Urano," one of them said.
"We heard the basketball games got canceled."
Another leaned closer. "But you know… if the council gets some extra money, they might bring it back."
Urano looked up at them, confused.
"Why are you telling me?"
They exchanged glances, then laughed.
"Come on, don't pretend," one of them said. "You're loaded, right?"
Urano frowned slightly. He had never talked about money, but rumors had a way of spreading on their own.
"If you help out," another added, "They will put basketball back on the schedule."
He hesitated. "Why should I?"
The answer came immediately.
"Aren't we friends?"
The word stuck with him.
"If it's back then we can play together!"
"Heck yea dude we can practice together!"
"Yea you have a good looking face a body fit for a basketball team!"
They kept talking, voices overlapping.
"We could be good buddies," one of them said with a grin.
"It'll be fun."
Urano listened without responding. Part of him didn't believe them, but another part wanted to. He had never been good at reading people, and the word friend still held weight back then.
In the end, he agreed.
He transferred the money through the council, and just like that, basketball was back on the schedule. The sports festival was smoothly. The atmosphere was lively, students cheering, games running without issue.
Urano watched from a distance.
Then he waited.
One day passed.
Then another.
Then another.
A week went by, and no one came looking for him.
No invitation. No message. No casual greeting.
Eventually, he decided to approach them himself.
When he did, their reactions were immediate and uncomfortable.
"Oh… Urano?" one of them said, forcing a laugh.
"Sorry, didn't recognize you."
Another scratched his head. "The team's kind of full now."
Someone else added quickly, "Maybe next time."
Urano stood there, listening. He didn't argue. He didn't ask questions. He simply nodded and walked away.
That was when he understood.
"Fake promises."
"I should never have trusted them...."
As he said that a small memory flashed in his mind where a voice of a man who sounded like a middle aged man said:
"Sorry Urano.... but you have to go.."
His hand made fist and in a small voice he said.
"They all are the same..."
Not long after, he was called to the student council office.
He stood in front of the president's desk as a small box filled with money was placed in front of him. Sugato was there, smiling brightly.
"Thanks for helping us," Sugato said. "You're a hero."
Urano picked up the box, feeling its weight in his hands.
Sugato continued, still smiling. "You know, someone like you would be a huge help if you joined the student council. You can support us and we'll support you too."
Urano looked at him for a moment, then shook his head.
"I'm not interested," he said calmly.
"I don't belong there."
Sugato seemed surprised, but before he could say anything more, the door opened.
Renka entered, holding her notebook.
Urano turned and walked past her without stopping. Renka glanced back at him once, her eyes following his figure as he left the room. Then she turned toward Sugato.
Urano stepped into the hallway, his expression cold, and walked away without looking back.
The memory faded.
Urano stopped in front of the rooftop gate, the metal cool beneath his fingers. His expression shifted slightly, something unreadable passing through his eyes.
"What's so special about festivals?" he said quietly.
After a moment, he pushed the gate open and stepped onto the rooftop.
As he entered inside he saw Renka who was standing in the end holding the bars looking at the sky with a cute smile on her face.
As he saw her he stopped.
"Am I... feeling nervous..."
Renka noticed him and looked at him then she raised her hands and smoothly said using her hand gestures.
"Welcome."